[Big G]

I arrive home from work, eagerly awaiting the HF-1 in transit to me, to find my parcel hanging half out of my Letterbox exposed to the pouring rain. Apon seeing this I almost begin to cry, as I had left a message on my letterbox for the Postie not to leave my parcel sitting there for collection, but to leave it at my front door (out of sight from the street) or at the post office for collection for fear of theft or rain damage.
I had also asked my elderly neighbor to keep an eye out for the package..all to no avail...

I think the parcel must have been just delivered minutes earlier, as it was absolutely bucketting down, and I was sure they would be saturated



I rush inside holding back the tears, grab a knife and slice the box open



Just a few minutes more Rain exposure and the water would have penetrated the box!, Luckily not a single drop had reached the Grado Box! completely unscathed, I opened it up my emotions going from complete despair to pure elation.



They are beutiful, I am thoroughly pleased with their sound out of the box, I put 7 hours on them last night, paired with my portaphilev2 and 4gIpod I am completely and utterly satisfied.

For those who are waiting for their HF-1 to arrived, you have plenty to be excited about. Talk about the low end bass being flabby is unfounded for me, I think they may require a little more current than lower end grado's to sound tight, the Portaphile with double buffers per channel had them churning out beutiful taught quantiful bass, they are warm in nature and I must say they really are more laid back in the upper ranges than other grado's I have heard. This took me by suprise even after reading many reviews. They really are Darker than my previous SR80's, but still beutifully detailed in the midrange, they exhibit no sign of sssibiliance.

I think I have reached Nirvana, feeling I have hit the nail on the head for my ultimate Metal Rig, turned up loud they dont get grating on the ear the combination of the detailed, Punchy Intimate sounding Portaphile, with the warm lusher sounding HF-1 is a beutiful thing.

I will give them plenty of time to run in before posting detailed opinions. But out of the box, I am thoroughly satisfied.

Thankyou John and Todd

 

[bahamot]

Can you tell me, was it send with Global priority or Global express? As I'm a bit concern my package from USA ...

 

[braillediver]

Congratulations on the Happy Ending.

7 hours on the first night? Cool.


Mitch

 

[discord]

Poor HF1 all cold and lonely outside in the rain...

Grats

 

[shplorgh]

Tears? You gotta have some priorites...

 

[wearymicrobe]

Can you tell us more about the cable comming out the bottom of your ipod. Is it better then using a standard 1/8th to rca converter out of headphone jack.

 

[MD1032]

Nice pics, Big G! Looks like another Grado survival story even after rain tries to force its way in. I swear, there's some kind of magical halo around the box that protects it.

 

[Big G]

ahahah, man I was close to tears, perhaps some of the water on the box wasnt rain...I felt so sorry for them when I saw the box, like a little puppy out in the cold.

Yes 7 hours on the first night, I started listening at 6.15pm only stopping to gorge down the lovely dinner my wife had cooked.
I finally reluctantly put them to rest on their stand at 1:45am..

Only to pick them back up the minute I awoke for a quickie while I was waiting for my wife to finish getting ready in the bathroom...hehehe

I cant wait to get home from work, Bliss I tell you.

 

[Kiwiclx]

Hallelujah! Nice pictures -- looks beautiful. Really makes me want to change my mind (for the eigth time) about not buying HF-1s. Sigh...

 

[Big G]

Wearymicrobe: the cable is the Sik Ram Din, gives you a purer audio signal via Lineout. Bypassing the internal Ipod amp, and avoiding the bass rolloff issue on <4g Ipods. To be used with an amp, not really to drive headphones directly.

There is also the Pocket dock, with which you can use your preference in interconnect cable. I have one paired with a KimberKable Mini to RCA to connect to my home system, and a Kimber 8" Mini to Mini on the way.

The Sik Ram din is nice in that you can charge the ipod whilst playing via the Firewire cable, also its quite secure as it uses the Apple locking dock connector, with the cable hardwired in. The Pocketdock can easily be dislodged from the ipod if bumped as It has no locking mechanism.

 

[Tech2]

See, this is why an item should ALWAYS be placed in a plastic bag and then into the shipping box. (Unless the item is a boat or rubber duck.)

 

[Big G]

Yeah I was thinking the same thing this morning Tech, a simple plastic bag, or clingwrap..

I had paid the $20 USD for Global Priority Airmail, Of which I would have expected it had to be signed for, for proof of receipt . I did request it had to be signed for this, as my local postie is a lazy sod, cant even walk to my front door, Just dumps it at my letter box, right on the sidewalk...
Just think, if you passed my house yesterday afternoon, a pair of HF-1 were sitting there within arms reach! Rather unsettling, I had been rather anxious in the few days expecting their arrival.

Im gonna wait out front of my house for the postie with a 2x4, or a grado Mini adaptor dongle, man that thing is meaty!

like a morning star, EKKYTHUMP!

 

[Lisa]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Big G

OMG! That's how your senn pads ended up after my advise?

I'm so sorry!
I used these tins of Dylon dye BTW, just to make sure we did use the same product:

http://www.dylon.co.uk/colourcentre/index.htm

Anyway, Glad you like your HF-1s! They sound amazingly good for $200 don't they? Even straight out of the box!

 

[Big G]

LOL, Army green has kind of grown on me, dont worry Lisa..
I look like an army WW2 Pilot when wearing them out, especially when wearing my Camo Cargo pants...lol

My Dylon came in a carboard Box...I did see those little Tins, I might go back and get some of that if i get bored of the Military spec grado look.

 

[ken36]

I've always been a fanboy of a good story with a happy ending.